Office navigation: asking for and giving directions

Summary

This 90-minute ESL lesson for A1 learners explores Office navigation: asking for and giving directions through a real article. Across 10 interactive exercises, you'll develop reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, practical communication, speaking skills — all built around authentic English content.

What you'll practise:

• 5 key vocabulary items with definitions and usage notes
• Grammar focus: Prepositions of place with examples and practice
• Real-world phrases for asking for directions at work
• Gap-fill and cloze exercises to test vocabulary in context
• Matching exercise to connect terms with their meanings

Lesson activities (10 exercises)

Each exercise builds on the previous one. Work through them in order for the best learning experience.

1. Warm-up — Discussion questions to activate what you already know about the topic.
2. Comprehension — Answer questions to check your understanding of the main ideas and supporting details.
3. Vocabulary — Learn key words and expressions from the article, with definitions and usage notes.
4. Matching — Connect words, phrases, or concepts to their correct counterparts.
5. Grammar — Study Prepositions of place — explanation, examples, and key rules.
6. Fill the gaps — Complete sentences with the correct vocabulary. Drag and drop or type your answers.
7. Practical English — Learn phrases for asking for directions at work — ready to use in real conversations.
8. Multiple choice — Choose the correct answer from four options — testing comprehension and language use.
9. Discussion — Reflect on the topic and share your opinions using the language you've learned.

Vocabulary

This lesson introduces 5 key terms drawn directly from the article:

• Excuse me, where is...? — a polite way to ask for directions.
• Go straight ahead — to move forward, not left or right.
• On your left / on your right — used to say where something is located.
• At the end of the hall — in the last part of a long passage in a building.
• Next to the... — beside something.

Grammar

This lesson focuses on Prepositions of place.

We use prepositions of place to say where something is. They help us understand and give directions in the office. For example, we can say the printer is on the desk or the kitchen is next to the meeting room.

Examples from the lesson:

• The coffee machine is in the kitchen. — Use 'in' for a place with walls, like a room or a building.
• The printer is on the table. — Use 'on' for a surface, like a table or a floor.
• The reception desk is next to the door. — Use 'next to' when something is right beside another thing.

Key rules:

• Use 'in' for an enclosed space (e.g., in the meeting room).
• Use 'on' for a surface (e.g., on the desk).
• Use 'next to' for something beside another thing (e.g., the printer is next to the computer).

Practical English

Asking for directions at work

When you are new in an office, you often need to ask for directions. Here are some simple and polite phrases to help you find your way around.

Phrases you'll learn:

• "Sorry to bother you..." — a polite way to start a question when someone is busy.
• "I'm looking for the printer." — a common way to say you need to find something.
• "Do you know where the meeting room is?" — another polite way to ask for a location.
• "Sorry, can you say that again?" — use this when you don't understand the directions.
• "So, it's on the right?" — repeat the key information to check you understand.